Michigan

Stay fit to go the distance

John A. Lacko | Special to the GazetteMarty Buffenbarger checks the lacing of his running shoes after an early morning run in downtown Kalamazoo.

Distance running is a sport with enormous mental and physical benefits, but experts estimate as many as 70 percent of runners have an injury every year.

Why so many injuries?

There's nothing inherently dangerous or destructive about running, experts agree. It's a natural and healthy activity. When the body is balanced, and the activity is moderated, it's well tolerated.

The vast majority of injuries are avoidable. Most are the consequence of a training error or simply pushing too hard.

Running through injuries is a common mistake that doctors say often leads to chronic injury.

Dr. Paul Gubanich, director of primary-care sports research at the Cleveland Clinic, sees more injuries in runners who are just getting started and expect to be able to quickly add a lot of miles to their training regimen.

For any runner, a rapid change in training routine -- from the track to sand or grass, from long, level runs to hills or from short runs to long runs -- often leads to injury, because the body doesn't have a chance to adapt to the more-aggressive program.

The tendency to push harder and farther during a run is part of human nature and the competitive spirit, said Dr. Shana Miskovsky, orthopedic and foot and ankle surgeon at Cleveland's University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

"If you put too much load on the system and don't give it enough time to repair itself, it actually breaks down," leading to injuries, she said.

But injuries aren't inevitable. There are steps you can take to avoid them.

The 10 percent rule is one way to prevent injury and overuse. In general, runners should not increase time, distance or speed beyond 10 percent per week. If you run five miles a week, add only one-half mile the next week to challenge yourself and keep any future increases to that 10 percent interval.

Some injuries are no fault of the runner. Simple body mechanics can cause repetitive strain on joints and ligaments. A person with high arches, for example, is more likely to have leg injuries. Knock-knees can cause knee pain and pain in the iliotibial band, a tendon that stretches from the outside of the hip to the knee.